What Is a Heatsink? A Basic Definition

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A heatsink is a piece of metal that sits on top of a computer chip such as a CPU and draws power away from components by letting it rise through a set of fins. By themselves, heatsinks are passive; they have no moving parts. However, in most cases--especially with desktop CPUs and GPUs--the heatsink is combined with a fan that blows the hot air away or a liquid cooling solution that carries the heat away through pipes.

This article is part of the Tom's Hardware Glossary.

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Scharon Harding
Scharon Harding

Scharon Harding has over a decade of experience reporting on technology with a special affinity for gaming peripherals (especially monitors), laptops, and virtual reality. Previously, she covered business technology, including hardware, software, cyber security, cloud, and other IT happenings, at Channelnomics, with bylines at CRN UK.